The Group’s activities expose it to a variety of financial risks: credit risk, market risk (including interest rate risk and foreign currency risk) and liquidity risk. The Group’s risk management focuses on the unpredictability of financial markets and seeks to minimize potential adverse effects on the Group’s financial performance. The Group uses derivative financial instruments to economically hedge certain risk exposures. 

Financial risk management is carried out by a central treasury department (Group Treasury) under policies approved by the Board of Directors (Treasury Policy). Group Treasury identifies, evaluates and hedges financial risks in close co-operation with the Group’s operating units. The ‘Treasury Policy’ provides principles for specific areas, such as credit risk, interest rate risk, foreign currency risk, use of derivative financial instruments and investment of excess liquidity. 

This note presents information about the Group’s exposure to each of the risks arising from financial instruments and the Group’s objectives, policies and processes for measuring and managing risk. Further quantitative disclosures are included throughout these consolidated financial statements.

The following table shows the carrying amounts of financial instruments by category at the end of December:

1. Receivables/payables arising from POC, VAT/other non-income taxes and social security

1. Receivables/payables arising from POC, VAT/other non-income taxes and social security

Credit risk is the risk of financial loss to the Group if a customer or counterparty to financial instruments fails to meet its contractual obligations, and arises principally from cash and cash equivalents, time deposits and trade accounts receivable.

All domestic and international bank relationships are selected by CFO and Group Treasury. Only banks and financial institutions that are ranked in the top class of the respective country are accepted. 

The credit risk with trade accounts receivable (see note 14) is limited, as the Group has numerous clients located in various geographical regions. The Group’s exposure to credit risk is influenced mainly by the individual characteristics of each customer. For the purpose of risk control, the customers are grouped as follows (risk groups): governmental organizations, listed public limited companies and other customers. Credit limits are established for each customer, whereby the credit limit represents the maximum open amount without requiring payments in advance or letters of credit; these limits are reviewed regularly (credit check).

The maximum exposure to credit risk is represented by the carrying amount of each financial asset, including derivative financial instruments, in the balance sheet. There are no commitments that could increase this exposure to more than the carrying amounts.

Market risk is the risk that changes in market prices, such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates and other prices will affect the Group’s result or the value of its holdings of financial instruments. The objective of market risk management is to manage and control market risk exposures within acceptable parameters, while optimizing the return on risk.

At the reporting date the Group had the following interest-bearing financial instruments: cash and cash equivalents, time deposits, rent deposits and bank liabilities. All cash and cash equivalents mature or reprise in the short-term, no longer than three months.

Borrowings mainly bear interest at fixed rates. Cash and cash equivalents and borrowings issued at variable rates expose the Group to cash flow interest rate risk. For the interest rate profile of the Group’s interest-bearing financial liabilities refer to note 19.

The Group does not account for any fixed rate borrowings at fair value through profit or loss. Therefore a change in interest rates at the reporting date would not affect profit or loss.

The Group Treasury manages the interest rate risk in order to reduce the volatility of the financial result as a consequence of interest rate movements. For the decision whether new borrowings shall be arranged at a variable or fixed interest rate, the Group Treasury focuses on an internal long-term benchmark interest rate and considers the amount of cash and cash equivalents held at a variable interest rate. Currently the interest rate exposure is not hedged.

At December 31, 2015, if interest rates had been 50 basis points higher/lower with all other variables held constant, post-tax profit for the year would have been CHF 0.9 million (2014: CHF 0.5 million) higher/lower, mainly as a result of cash positions held at variable rates.

The Group incurs foreign currency risks on sales, purchases and borrowings denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the respective Group companies. On a consolidated basis, the Group is also exposed to currency fluctuations between the Swiss franc (CHF) and the functional currencies of its Group companies. The two major currencies giving rise to currency risks are euro (EUR) and US dollar (USD).

The Group centralizes its foreign currency exposure in a few locations only. The hedging policy of the Group is to cover the foreign currency exposure to a certain percentage of the operating activities (forecast sales and purchases). The Group uses forward exchange contracts, currency options and swaps to hedge its foreign currency risk on specific future foreign currency cash flows. These contracts have maturities of up to 18 months.

The Group does not hedge its net investment in foreign entities and the related foreign currency translation of local earnings. 

The Group’s exposure to foreign currency risk arising on financial instruments denominated in a currency different from the functional currency of the entity holding the instruments was as follows:

At the end of December, if the CHF had moved against the USD and EUR with all other variables held constant, post-tax profit for the year would have been:

Foreign currency risks from financial instruments primarily relate to CHF/EUR and CHF/USD forwards and options.

The derivative financial instruments used as economic hedges of foreign currencies are summarized in the table below:

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group will not be able to meet its financial obligations as they fall due. Group Treasury manages the Group’s liquidity to ensure sufficient liquidity to meet all liabilities when due, under both normal and stressed conditions, without facing unacceptable losses or risking damage to the Group’s reputation.

It is the Group’s target to have a cash reserve or committed credit line in the amount of 10 % of its annual sales third budget centralized at Tecan Group Ltd. and Tecan Trading AG. Changes to this target are subject to the Board of Directors’ approval. All cash in Tecan Group Ltd. and Tecan Trading AG which does not count against such a cash reserve is considered as excess liquidity. Excess liquidity can be invested in instruments such as time deposits, government and corporate bonds, shares of publicly listed companies and capital protected instruments.

The following are the contractual maturities of financial liabilities, including interest payments:

1. Excluding reconciling items (see note 24.2)

1. Excluding reconciling items (see note 24.2)

Unused lines of credit amounting to CHF 44.7 million were available to the Group at December 31, 2015 (2014: CHF 40.0 million). In addition, the Group had uncommitted lines of credit amounting to CHF 100 million for the purpose of financing possible future business combinations.